The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce puts on an annual dinner the first week of the state legislative session that usually features a panel discussion among the four caucus leaders.
Also, by tradition, moderator Tom Hauser of KSTP includes a “lightning round” where he asks for one or two-word answers to a series of questions. Asking doesn’t mean that the politicians stick to the ground rules. Here is a transcript of that round with some editing to remove asides and an entire interaction about which character from the sitcom “The Office” each of the four felt represented them (that part was hard to follow if you weren’t there).
The February budget forecast, will it be better or worse than November? Better?
Senate DFL Leader Erin Murphy: Better.
Senate GOP Leader Mark Johnson: Depends. Legally trained, Tom!
House DFL Leader Melissa Hortman: I’m with the lawyer because it depends on whether Trump’s job killing tariffs have kicked in yet.
House GOP Leader Lisa Demuth: We know, either way it’s gonna show that impending deficit that we’re headed to because of the wasteful spending.
In the 2025 session…Tax increases, tax cuts or hold the line?
Demuth: Tax cuts. Minnesota overspends.
Hortman: Tax cuts.
Johnson: There you go, tax cuts.
Murphy: We’re going to balance the budget.
Health care reinsurance? Yes or no?
(Health care reinsurance is a program that uses state money to cover extraordinary health insurance claims as a way to keep regular premiums for people who buy policies on the individual market.)
Murphy: Depends.
Johnson: Yes.
Hortman: Maybe.
Demuth: Yes.
Is the public option still an option or not gonna happen this year?
(Public option refers to proposals to allow Minnesotans who exceed the income limits to purchase policies via MNSure to insure themselves through that program.)
Demuth: No.
Hortman: Not this year.
Johnson: No.
Murphy: Nope.
Minnesota’s environmental permitting process. Is it onerous or appropriate?
Johnson: Onerous? Yes.
Murphy: The good news is we made permitting reform work last session. Thank you, Grant Hauschild and Nick Frentz.
Hortman: It takes too long.
Demuth: Still onerous.
Reforming it. Is that a short-term priority or a long-term priority?
Johnson: Short and long.
Murphy: Gonna take a long time, but we’re on it.
Hortman: It’d be a great session to do it. Short term.
Demuth: Very short term.
I believe Republicans have talked about eliminating the nuclear moratorium. No way, or new construction?
Demuth: Absolutely new construction.
Hortman: Only if negotiations with the Prairie Island Indian community favor it. OK.
Johnson: Yes, new construction.
Murphy: Same as Hortman.
Should Canada become another U.S. state?
Johnson: My colleagues always say that I’m the senator from Canada because I live in East Grand Forks and have a thick Canadian accent. But I think we should take them. They are our No. 1 trading partner in Minnesota. I think they should become part of Minnesota.
Murphy: Oh, sweet. Canada. Canada, Canada. We want them. We love them.
Hortman: No, we should respect their sovereignty.
Special session or sessions: No way. Or definitely?
Hortman: Unfortunately right now it looks like we might be headed that (way).
Demuth: No.
Johnson: Not because of us.
Murphy: No.
Give us a prediction on when the session will end?
Hortman: The tie made us read about history so I just hope we’re not here in October.
Demuth: No special session. May 19th.
Murphy: May 19. We’re already underway.
Johnson: May 19. That’s already part of the negotiations.
Is anybody willing to put money on this?
Johnson: Oh, so you want to talk sports betting?
We’re gonna add just one more lightning round question. Sports betting: Is this the year? Yes or no? This is truly a yes or no question this year. Sports betting, yes or no?
Johnson: Senator Miller says, yes. Senator Rasmussen says no. So we get that.
Murphy: I say, “Go Matt Klein!”
Hortman: I’d be surprised if it made it through the House.
Demuth: Not sure.
